By Rajwa Quasim
The U.S. Department of Labor has barred four employers from hiring foreign workers through the H-1B visa program after finding they violated federal labor regulations, officially designating them as “willful violators.”
The updated list, maintained by the department’s Wage and Hour Division, includes GowraTech LLC, Renotek Group LLC, Seeloz Inc., and Sherwood at Mount Dora Inc., doing business as Sherwood Academy. Each company faces a separate debarment period: GowraTech is barred from May 12, 2025, through May 11, 2027; Renotek Group from Aug. 8, 2025, through Aug. 7, 2027; Seeloz from March 4, 2026, through March 3, 2028; and Sherwood Academy from May 26, 2026, through May 25, 2028. During their respective debarment periods, the companies are prohibited from participating in the H-1B visa program.
Read: Trump administration loses appeal over $100,000 H-1B visa fee (July 25, 2026)
A “willful violator” designation is issued only after the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) or the Department of Justice (DOJ) determines that an employer intentionally violated H-1B program requirements or knowingly provided false information during the visa application process, particularly in the Labor Condition Application (LCA). The LCA requires employers to certify compliance with wage requirements, working conditions and other labor standards for H-1B workers.
Employers labeled as willful violators face stricter requirements when filing H-1B applications for up to five years after the violation, unless the application is used exclusively for exempt H-1B workers. They must certify that they have not replaced a U.S. worker with an H-1B employee, made effort to hire U.S. worker initially, and offered the job to an equally or better- qualified U.S. worker who applied.
“Some companies treat H-1B as a get rich quick scam. @Sonderling47 and I are restoring integrity and protecting U.S. jobs. Subpoenas issued. Warrants executed. Much more to come. If you’re screwing over American workers, we’re coming for you. @WHFraudTF,” Attorney General Anthony D’Esposito wrote on X.
H-1B visa is an important pathway for skilled foreign professionals to work in the U.S. but employers should meet federal labor requirements before they can hire the workers through the program. Recently, U.S. authorities increased efforts to crack down visa fraud and labor law violations, protecting both domestic and foreign workers.
Read: US to impose 100% tariffs on generic pharma (July 22, 2026)
According to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), the agency received enough petitions to meet the fiscal year 2027 H-1B cap, including the 65,000 regular visas and the additional 20,000 visas reserved for applicants who hold advanced degrees from U.S. universities.
Meanwhile, the Trump administration is considering increasing H-1B and L-1 visa fees for workers renewing their employment authorization. The proposed changes could significantly raise costs for large U.S. employers and affect Indian professionals, who account for the majority of H-1B extension approvals. Because Indian nationals make up the largest share of H-1B visa holders, any changes to the program are likely to have a significant impact on the flow of skilled workers from India to the United States.